DOT sues Luján for road land

The New Mexico Department of Transportation has filed a land-condemnation suit against Speaker of the House Ben Luján, D-Nambé, to allow for improvements to U.S. 84/285.

The petition asks a judge to approve the DOT's offer of $60,000 for six parcels of land, totaling about 18,000 square feet. More than 30 other landowners along the route already have accepted offers.

The $68 million project will rebuild existing lanes and add frontage between Española and Pojoaque, including a new interchange at Pojoaque Pueblo.

Luján, a former Los Alamos National Laboratory iron worker, has represented northern Santa Fe County in the House of Representatives since 1975. He was elected speaker in 2001 after the defeat of Raymond Sanchez of Albuquerque.

The petition filed in state District Court on Wednesday by Stephen Hamilton of the Montgomery & Andrews firm names as defendants "Jose Ben Lujan," his wife Carmen Luján and others.

Neither Hamilton nor Luján were available for comment Thursday. DOT spokesman S.U. Mahesh declined comment on the lawsuit.

Ex-officer Lovato posts bond

Alfred Lovato, the former state police sergeant riding with Carlos Fierro when Fierro's car struck and killed a Santa Fe pedestrian in November, has posted a $25,000 surety bond.

Though he wasn't the driver, Lovato is charged as an accessory to vehicular homicide and causing a fatal accident.

Evidence indicates Lovato had spent a night drinking in local bars with Fierro, whose blood alcohol content was measured at more than twice the legal driving limit after he was arrested several blocks from the crash scene. Fierro faces trial on counts of vehicular homicide and causing a fatal accident.

Lovato's lawyer had said Monday during his client's arraignment that Lovato might not be able to afford to post the bond ordered by District Judge Michael Vigil. However, he posted the bond Tuesday after paying 10 percent of the amount to a bail bond company.

Free weekend offered at Bandelier

Visitors can enjoy Bandelier National Monument for free Saturday and Sunday, the first of several fee-free weekends planned at the park.

Other free weekends are scheduled July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16.

Camping fees and other amenity fees will still be charged by the park.

Superintendent Jason Lott said the National Park Service wants to remind the public that national parks are places for everyone to have fun, reconnect with nature and history, and build a sense of ownership and stewardship toward parks.

Other fee-free days are planned on National Public Lands Day, Sept. 26, and Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Park visitors can see demonstrations by pueblo artisans every weekend and holiday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tomas Herrera of Cochiti Pueblo will demonstrate drum-making today.

On Saturday and Sunday, Michael Bancroft of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo will demonstrate pottery making.

For more information, visit the park's Web site at www.nps.gov/band.

Villa Alegre plan to get new hearing

The city Planning Commission on Thursday rescinded a vote it took earlier this month to reject a Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority plan to redevelop the Villa Alegre housing project on West Alameda.

The commission had asked the Housing Authority to work with city staff to reduce the density of the project and include more open space. The proposed plan would replace 104 existing units with 138 units.

On Thursday, however, Assistant City Attorney Kelly Brennan told the commission that several issues had come up concerning the original hearing, and a new hearing is required.

Commissioners voted unanimously to concur with her opinion. Brennan said the new hearing is likely to be scheduled for next month.

The Housing Authority has been planning a redevelopment of the housing project since last summer, saying maintenance costs on the aging project were draining the agency's budget.

Jury acquits man in rape case

A Santa Fe County jury has acquitted a 50-year-old Mexican man of rape, kidnapping and battery charges in connection with an incident that was reported more than three years ago.

Manuel Noriega — also known as Manuel de Jesús Noriega-Ruvalcaba — was charged with five counts of rape, two counts of aggravated battery and one count of kidnapping. The jury's decision of acquittal Wednesday on all charges came after nearly two weeks of testimony.

Santa Fe police have said that Noriega allegedly convinced the victim in the case, with whom he worked at a Santa Fe hotel, that he was a professional artist and would pay her for posing nude. She went to his apartment in March 2006, where Noriega allegedly raped her for four to five hours and assaulted her with a knife, police said.

Two days after the alleged incident, Noriega left for Mexico. However, after Santa Fe police Detective Tony Trujillo heard where he might be living in Mexico, Mexican police arrested him in July 2007. He was extradited to Santa Fe in May 2008.

First-timers get opera discount

The Santa Fe Opera is offering discounted tickets to first-time New Mexico buyers.

The offer is good for four of the five operas that will be shown during the summer season that opens July 3.

Residents who have never bought tickets before can get them at a 40 percent discount through June 24 for Mozart's Don Giovanni, Donizetti's The Elixir of Love, Gluck's Alceste and Paul Moravec's The Letter.

Opera officials say the discount is a way to counter declining ticket sales and drum up more local interest in the opera.

A similar promotion was offered from 2001 through 2003, then discontinued.

The discount does not apply to Verdi's La Traviata.

Downtown Clayton designated historic district

Forty-four buildings in downtown Clayton now comprise the state's most recently designated historic district.

The state Cultural Properties Review Committee also has recommended the downtown area of the northeastern New Mexico community for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Downtown Clayton owes much of its look and economic roots as a trade center to the railroad, the state Historic Preservation Division said in a news release. "Most of the buildings that line its downtown streets were built before 1930 and trace their architectural influences from the East and Midwest more so than from the regional styles of New Mexico."

Properties listed in the State Register of Cultural Properties are eligible for rehabilitation tax credits and loans through the state agency, while commercial properties listed in the national register can benefit from additional federal tax credits.

Guidelines set for winter utility program

The state Public Regulation Commission unanimously approved an order this week that better defines who will qualify for a program that helps consumers keep their utilities turned on in the winter when they can't pay their bills in full each month.

The PRC has established a moratorium on utility cut-offs from Nov. 15 to March 15. The program is supposed to help gas or electricity customers who meet certain economic criteria and make good-faith efforts to pay their bills.

"If they fall a month or two behind, they may be able to work out a level payment plan through winter," PRC spokesman Paul Carbajal said.

Utilities will send out notices in mid-August reminding consumers about the approaching winter and encouraging them to catch up on utility bills, Carbajal said.